Endings are Just Beginnings in Disguise
by FullmetalAlchemist64
Summary: I wrote this months ago... YES, I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T HALLOWEEN ANY MORE. DEAL WITH IT. (Also, we're going to pretend that Halloween exists in the world of FMA. It's called All Hallows Eve there, because seriously, that sounds way more badass.) Just in case: There will NOT be a second chapter. This is a one-shot.


**AN: I wrote this forever ago… no clue why I didn't post it. I dunno, now that I'm re-reading it, it seems too mushy. I just… enjoy. You know, if you think it's good. If you don't, then you probably won't enjoy it but- SHUT UP, ME. *awkwardly digs a hole and buries self***

Winry Rockbell loved All Hallows Eve. She had grown out of trick-or-treating a long time ago, but she still adored the holiday and everything that came with it. This year she was especially excited, because Ed and Al were coming to visit! They all used to have the best fun on this night, dressing up in costumes, getting candy, and playing pranks on any neighbors within walking distance. Afterward, they would always come back to her house and assess their treats. Then they would give each other anything that they didn't like and the others did. That was why Winry usually ended up with a few dozen black licorice twists. Edward and Alphonse both thought they were disgusting, but she practically worshipped them. Now she was the one handing out the candy to the little kids that came knocking on the door in their home-made costumes, which was probably for the best, in truth. Not many people knew, but when it came to creepy creatures, Winry was actually a **HUGE **wimp. The dark? No problem. Blood and guts? Nothing. Give her those over werewolves and vampires any day. Although she knew that they weren't real, the things still terrified her.

Checking the clock in the kitchen for the 50th time, she began to get a little impatient. Ed and Al were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago, and since Granny was at a 'grown-ups only' party down in the sorry excuse for a town, they were the only company she was going to have.

'_Be patient._' she thought. '_Their train is probably just a little late, is all._'

However, it was starting to get dark outside, and she did NOT want to be alone at night, and **definitely** not on THIS night. When those brothers got here, she was going to give them both a nice hard whack with her wrench. As a distraction from the inky blackness steadily consuming the sky, she busied herself with getting out some apple cider and cookies as well as candy for the children that would show up later in the evening. It always took them a while to get there though, because the Rockbell house was a fair distance from town. Unfortunately, that trivial task didn't take long, and soon Winry found herself without anything to do but let her mind wander again. Glancing at the clock once more, she cursed.

"Damn it! Where are they?" she muttered in irritation. It was now completely black out and there were some clouds that threatened to cover the moon. Suddenly, she heard a faint thump come from the direction of the front door.

'_Thank goodness! I was beginning to think that those two would never show up!_' she thought, racing into the entryway.

"Ed! Al! Where were you-?" she exclaimed, throwing open the door. "Uh… guys?"

Peering out, Winry gulped. Nobody was there and it was pitch black out. But she could swear that she'd heard something…

"G-guys?" she repeated, a little softer now. "Are you trying to freak me out?"

There was no reply from the darkness. Slamming the door closed, Winry tried her best to calm down.

'_It's just my imagination. It was all in my head. Probably just a stray cat or something. Ed and Al will be here soon, and everything will be fine. They'll protect me._'

Suddenly, she blushed. Where did that thought come from? Sure, in the past Edward had always tried to keep her and Al safe from bullies and comforted them when they got scared at night, but those kinds of things hadn't happened since they were children; no more than five or six. Still, for some reason she felt that she could trust those two to defend her.

'_Especially Edward…_'

Then she shook her head violently. Not just Ed, of course, Al too! They were both equally her guardians… At the same time though, Alphonse was a little more like a younger brother who had grown up too fast. Edward was… different… somehow. He looked more in control, and to those who really knew him, usually acted like the big brother that he was, except for when he got incredibly reckless, or when he was anywhere in the same vicinity as a glass of milk or a cat. An older brother to Al, that is. He sure didn't feel like a big brother to **her.** No, to her he was something entirely unlike that. Which was… what exactly? Resolving to just stop thinking about it, Winry turned around to go back to the kitchen when she heard a series of more thumping noises, louder this time, come from that very room. They sounded a little like footsteps…

'_It's only Den, it's only Den…_' she told herself desperately. There was a logical explanation for this. But… Den's footsteps weren't like that. They had a distinct sound because of his nails clicking against the floor and his automail leg. So that wasn't it. The dog knocked things over all the time; maybe that's what it was. It was possible that Den had knocked over something and started a chain reaction. Right? All that she had to do was go in and see what had happened. It was as simple as that. Taking a deep breath, Winry crept forward slowly, inching her way over to her destination. Once she got there, she tried to calm her nerves and then peeked around the corner. Everything looked exactly the same as when she had left. Nothing was on the floor or turned over; not a thing looked out of place.

_Aroo?_

Jumping about a foot in the air, she whirled around to see Den standing right behind her. But that meant… there was no way it could have been him in the kitchen. Eyes going wide, Winry threw herself over to the phone and frantically stabbed at the buttons to call the pub that Granny was currently at. It was only when she stopped to listen for an answer though, that she finally realized. There was no ring, no voice. Just a low buzzing sound.

The phone was dead.

The only ways to do that would be to kill the power using the fuse box or mess with the wires. But the rest of the power was still on and the telephone wire only came out of the wall in this room, so… someone… or some**thing**… was in the house.

She had to get out; go anywhere but here. But if she went outside, she would probably kill herself trying to make it to any of the neighbors' houses in the dark. Or rather, whatever was here with her might kill her first. The only way would be to pull out the old lantern that they had tucked away in the basement and use that to light her way. A slim chance at best. And even better, there were no lights in that old basement. It would be completely black, but she wasn't about to light a candle, or waste precious time searching for one either.

The only other option available was to find some sort of weapon and try to evade whatever had her trapped in the house until Ed and Al got here and saved her.

'_That's it!_' she thought abruptly. '_I need a weapon! A wrench won't do this time, because that would require getting within close enough range to clobber whatever is stalking me. A knife presents the same problem unless I throw it, and if I missed or it didn't stop whatever's here I'd be helpless…_'

Dropping the phone and dashing back towards the front door, she snatched up one of the umbrellas propped against the wall. Not the most effective instrument of defense, but it would do in a pinch. Then she opened the door just a crack. If Ed and Al got here, they would notice that, no doubt about it. They were both naturally observant; a good trait to have. It also meant that if she had to leave in a hurry, (hopefully not with something chasing her) she wouldn't have to squander any time trying to open the door.

Taking hold of the old umbrella like a baseball bat, Winry silently snuck back into the kitchen and then motioned for Den to follow her. At the very least, they might give each other some measure of protection. It was weird that he wasn't barking, but that wasn't important right now.

Heading for the basement with Den following her like a shadow, Winry trembled with terror. She would never again put something creepy off as just her imagination. If she lived long enough to see something else scary, that is. Suddenly she found herself standing in front of the basement door.

"I can't do this…" she whispered, staring at the handle. There was no way that she could descend into a pitch black basement at night on All Hallows Eve when there was some psycho or monster in the house.

Then, every single light in the house flickered and went out. A second later, she heard what sounded eerily like nails scraping along the floor from a few feet behind her and Den. Shrieking and dropping the umbrella, she threw open the door and plunged into the darkness, stumbling down the staircase in a frantic attempt to escape whatever was following her. Keeping one hand on the wall to guide her, she finally reached the bottom. Turning around to make sure that Den was with her, she saw something. Or to be more accurate, she didn't see anything, because it was totally black. There should have been just enough light from the open doorway to illuminate her dog, but there wasn't. Because the door wasn't open. That wasn't the thing that really worried her though. What she was frightened of was the fact that, in her panic, she KNEW that she hadn't shut that door.

So who did?

Eyes widening to the point where she was sure they'd pop right out of her head, Winry whipped around and dashed away from the staircase, tripping and stumbling through the dark. Turning corners blindly, she finally stopped and pressed herself against the wall, listening for any signs of pursuit. The silence felt like lead weights, pushing down and holding her captive. It was actually worse than if something was chasing her, because right now it could be anywhere, and she wouldn't know. Slowly peeling herself off the wall, she reached out in front of her, feeling for the shelf that held the lantern she was seeking. It should be there… if she was in the right room, anyway. Suddenly, her fingers brushed against wood. The shelf was here!

"I hope it still works…" Winry murmured, finding the light. She picked it up as quietly as possible, not wanting to alert anything to her presence. Just then, something bumped into her from behind. Heart pounding, she whirled around and threw the switch on the old lantern, flooding the space in front of her with light.

"Den, you scared the crap out of me!" she hissed, upon finding that it was only her dog. "Now, come on! We have to run!"

As she turned to get out of the basement AS FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, the lantern swung around and illuminated a figure standing there. The light threw shadows across his face, making it look deformed and horrible.

Winry stared for a second, then opened her mouth and let out a blood-curdling shriek. She tried to scramble backwards but a hand shot out and gripped her wrist, preventing her from moving. Still screaming as loud as she could, Winry fought, thrashing around and kicking with all her strength.

"Hey! Winry, calm down!"

"No! Get away from me! HELP!"

"WINRY!"

That voice… she knew that voice. Slowing her struggles, she slowly looked up into the face of the person holding her.

It was Ed.

He looked back at her, wearing a funny expression. It looked like a mix of concern and guilt, but mostly it just seemed like he was trying not to laugh. For some reason he was wearing all black, and his golden hair was tucked up into a hat.

"E-Edward?" Winry stuttered, utterly confused. Had he come to rescue her?

"Hey, you big chicken."

She just stared at him, befuddled, until Al popped up out of the darkness next to his brother.

"Sorry, Winry. We didn't think you would be THIS scared. Ed, I think you took it a little too far…"

Suddenly it hit her. All of this was just a harmless prank, and she fell for it completely. These two were going to pay. Well, maybe not Alphonse. He sounded genuinely remorseful. Edward on the other hand… he was trying to hide it, but she could see him snickering.

"Both of you…" she muttered, feeling a little twinge of satisfaction when the brothers' faces turned fearful. "Take me back upstairs, NOW. If you're **lucky**, you might live. Emphasis on the MIGHT."

"Um… right." as Al gently extracted the lantern from her shaking fingers, Edward seemed to realize that he was still gripping her wrist and dropped it. Immediately, she crumpled to the floor, her energy drained.

"Winry! Are you okay?!"

Ed and Al both knelt down by her side, looking anxious.

"I-I'm fine." She murmured, closing her eyes. "I'm just so relieved that it was only you two…"

"I'm really sorry, Win." Ed mumbled, regret coloring his voice. "I honestly didn't think you would freak out that bad."

Winry blinked. He had used her old nickname from when they were kids. She hadn't heard him call her that in years. Maybe she wouldn't murder him after all.

"It's okay," she sighed. "Just… help me up."

Al reached out to aid her, but Edward waved him off.

"It's fine, I've got her."

Without warning, he scooped her up like she weighed nothing. Squeaking, she latched onto his shirt, which made him laugh a little.

"Chill out Win, I won't let you fall, okay?"

She nodded, but didn't release her death grip on him. Was it possible to **feel **someone roll their eyes? With Alphonse leading the way, they eventually navigated their way out of the basement. When they finally reached the top of the stairs, she felt a lot better, even though it was still dark.

"I'm going to go turn the lights back on. Will you be okay here with brother, Winry?" Al asked, turning around. I can leave the lantern with you and find the fuse box in the dark if I have to. Eventually I'd hit the right switch…"

Ed looked down at her, obviously willing to go along with whatever she wanted to do. It would be nice to have some light, but since she wouldn't be alone…

"That's okay, Al. I don't want you to accidentally electrocute yourself. You take the lantern; I can stay here with Edward. We'll be fine."

"Alright." Al smiled at her. "I'll be right back!"

Once he left, there was a tense silence. After a minute, Ed cleared his throat.

"Uh… do you want me to put you down now? It's fine if you don't, I just wondered-"

"Oh!" Winry realized that Ed was still holding her bridal style, and blushed violently. "No, I'm okay, I can stand, I think…"

Slowly, Edward lowered her to the floor, but she stumbled the instant she attempted to support her own weight. She probably would have fallen over if Edward hadn't been there. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back up into his chest.

"Sheesh, be more careful! Are you alright?" he asked, pulling back a bit to look at her.

"Fine…" she muttered, hoping that he couldn't see her face reddening even further in the dark. They were practically hugging, and her knees felt like Jell-O.

"Here." Edward said, breaking her train of thought. He bent down a little, taking one of her arms and hooking it around the back of his neck while keeping his arm around her, in such a way that they were both supporting half of her weight.

"Thanks…" she whispered. Then, the lights came back on and she had to shield her eyes from the sudden brightness.

"Hey, looks like Al got to the fuse box." Ed remarked, glancing at her. "Do you want to go sit down in the kitchen? The trick-or-treaters probably won't show up for another ten minutes at least."

"Yes, that would be nice," she replied gratefully. "Some water would be good too."

"Sure," Ed said, starting back down the hall. When they reached the kitchen, Edward helped her sit, tossed his hat onto the table, then walked over to the cabinets and started rummaging through them for a cup.

"Hey, I'm back!" Al announced, walking in. "Are you okay, Winry?"

"I'm fine," she told him. "Just a bit shaken up."

"Fine? Really, Win? I half carried you all the way in here. I wouldn't say that you're FINE."

She and Al both turned to glare at Ed, who just shrugged and continued his search for a glass.

"So, how did you guys do all that stuff?" she asked, truly curious.

"Well," Alphonse started, "It really wasn't that complicated. We used alchemy to make a hole in the wall and Ed snuck in, then we sealed it back up. I went back to the front of the house and knocked on the siding next to the door, which made the first noise you heard. When you went to check on that, Ed got into the kitchen and disconnected the phone wires. Then he went back to the fuse box while I came in the front door and hid in a closet so you wouldn't see me. We figured that you would try to get out using that old lantern, so I waited until you were by the basement door, and then came out SUPER quietly and waited for the lights to go out. When they did, I snuck up behind you and scraped my nails on the floor, which Ed thought would really freak you out."

"Hey," Edward interjected as he finally found a cup and walked over to the sink to fill it with water. "Al, you never said 'no' to anything. Don't try to pin this all on me!"

"It was your idea, brother. You said it was just a little prank, but now Winry can't even walk by herself… and besides, you weren't supposed to scare her like that down in the basement. You were going to go back upstairs and turn the lights on, then wait for her to come out."

"I got lost down there and had to improvise! It was an accident that I bumped into her!"

"Whatever, Ed." Winry said, rolling her eyes. "So, how did you get into the basement, then? You were over by the fuse box…"

"That was pretty easy." Ed replied, walking over and handing her the water before sitting down himself. "I just alchemized a hole in the floor and dropped down. Then I just found a chair and used that to reach the ceiling to close it back up. While I was doing that, Al followed you through the door and you know the rest."

Winry gaped at him, stunned.

"Ed, that basement is eight feet from floor to ceiling! How on earth did you manage to fall that far without killing yourself?!"

"Well, for one thing, I didn't fall, I jumped. Plus, I'm just naturally light on my feet. The floor is stone, so it didn't make much noise at all when I landed."

"But how did you manage to close the hole using only a chair to help you up? You didn't… wait a second, are you… Ed, did you get **taller**!?"

"HA!" Edward grinned smugly. "You finally noticed! See, look! I'm almost half a foot taller than you now! No more jokes about my height from anybody! And I didn't have to drink a DROP of milk! So there!"

Winry stared at him in shock. It was true; he was taller that she was.

"Wow, I never thought I'd live to see the day!" she exclaimed, which made Ed pout a little. Then the doorbell rang, causing her to jump.

"That's probably some trick-or-treaters," Al remarked. "I can handle them."

He picked up the candy bowl and walked out, leaving Ed and Winry together at the kitchen table.

"So, uh… do you… um, I mean… do you want to take a walk or something?" Ed asked her abruptly. "You know, fresh air and stuff…"

"Sure…" Winry murmured back, a light dusting of pink adorning her cheeks.

'_Why am I blushing?_' she wondered. '_And my heart is pounding… from the prank? No… after all, it was just Edward and Alphonse… so I shouldn't have a problem going outside now that we have the lantern. It's just Ed… You know, some fresh air would REALLY do me some good._'

"Let's go." she announced. "Just… bring the lantern."

Edward smirked, snatching it up off the table and standing up.

"Do you need help?"

"No." Winry scowled. "I'm fine now, really. I can walk on my own, thank you."

She stood, with only a little assistance from the table. Walking into the hallway that led off to the back door and bathrooms, she motioned for Ed to hurry up, and he hastened to follow.

"Hey, will Al be okay handing out candy to kids? Won't he wonder where we've gone?" she asked as the thought occurred to her. "Maybe we should tell him, or at least leave a note…"

"Nah." Ed smiled. "Al will understand. And besides, he won't admit it, but I know he likes kids."

"Oh, okay." Winry opened the door and turned to Edward. "Light, please."

He flipped the switch, illuminating the path in front of them and they stepped out, closing the door softly behind them. Winry breathed in the cool night air, feeling instantly calmer. They walked for a bit until reaching the huge old tree that they all used to believe was magical, simply because of its enormous size and the way that the branches seemed to stretch up into the sky forever. Ed looked at it and grinned.

"Sure brings back memories, huh?"

"Yeah," she replied. "It really does…"

Suddenly Edward trudged over to the lowest branch, a monstrous thing, about two feet in diameter. He gestured for her to follow, and when she made her way over to him, he set down the lantern and linked his fingers together.

"Come on, hop up!" he said, giving her a wry smile.

She just stared at him, convinced that any second he was going to say, 'Just kidding!' and they would laugh about it. He didn't though, only looked at her expectantly.

"You have got to be kidding me. There is **no way** we can get up there. That branch is twelve feet in the air!"

"Hey, we can do it. Don't underestimate me!"

Winry raised an eyebrow doubtfully.

"Yeah, I don't think so."

"Win, just trust me, okay?"

She could sense her will weakening and instinctively knew from years of dealing with Edward that she wasn't going to win this argument.

"Fine," she sighed, putting one foot in his hands so he could boost her up. "If you drop me, I swear I will kill you."

Ed just laughed and then raised his hands up with a lot more strength than Winry would have guessed that he possessed. She was expecting that he would get her about halfway, and then she would fall. Instead, she found herself launched into the air with the perfect amount of force exerted to get her to the branch. Grabbing hold, she pulled herself up the rest of the way, hyperventilating slightly. Damn, that was TERRFYING. Once she was safely seated on the enormous branch, she peered down at Edward who was grinning smugly from the ground.

"Okay, you win that round, you freakishly strong weirdo. Now, how are YOU going to get up here?" she called down, sure that he wouldn't have an answer. Not replying, Ed just spun around, walked about 5 yards away and stopped again, turning back towards the tree.

'_Wait a second… It's not possible. He isn't planning to-_'

That was as far as she got before Ed darted forward in the direction of the tree. At the last second, he placed his hands on the ground, vaulting up into the air. Before she even had a chance to cry out, his hands were gripping the branch and hauling himself up. Then he was suddenly sitting next to her, panting a bit, but beaming from ear to ear.

"That's how," he breathed, still looking delighted.

"What kind of training have you been DOING?" she screeched. "Seriously, that was insane!"

Edward smirked, putting a finger to his lips.

"Ah ah! It's a secret!"

"Hey, no fair!" Winry pouted, crossing her arms in annoyance. "You guys never tell me anything."

Ed shrugged, looking up at the heavens. She followed his gaze and watched as the clouds slid away, revealing a breathtaking full moon. The stars shone down on them like bright copper coins, twinkling and sparkling. Gasping, she sat frozen, entranced by the beauty of the nighttime sky.

"Whoa… I'm really glad we came out… somehow it all seems closer from up here…" she whispered, shivering a little from the evening chill.

"Oh…" Edward said, noticing her shudder. "I guess we should have brought a jacket, huh?"

"I didn't think to either; it's not your fault." Winry murmured, still fixated on the stars. Unexpectedly, she felt Ed wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her closer.

"Uh… what are you doing?"

"You were cold, right?" Edward said matter-of-factly.

'_I __**was**__…_' she thought, giving in and resting her cheek on Ed's shoulder. She did feel a lot better already; he was amazingly warm.

Probably, she realized with slight embarrassment, because Ed didn't have coat either. Just a tight black turtleneck sweater that showed off his muscles incredibly well and let every bit of heat slip through.

'_No! Shut up, self!_' she thought, frustrated by her conflicting feelings towards her longtime friend. But… was he really just a friend? Alphonse was a friend, when it came to Ed; there was something different, deeper. '_Okay, enough internal battles for tonight!_' she decided, mentally smacking herself.

"Hey…" Edward mumbled softly, looking up at the moon. "Really, I am sorry about scaring you earlier… you're okay, right? I didn't think that you'd freak out that badly…"

"Oh…" Winry looked up at him in surprise. It wasn't like Ed to show this much caring and affection for anyone except Al. "I told you already, I'm good. I would have been a lot worse off if it **wasn't** a prank, right?"

"I don't know. You can kick pretty damn hard."

Edward started laughing and Winry did too. In that moment she finally realized just how much she had missed Ed. He and Al were always gone, and it was only when they came back for a few days that she really understood how much she loved having them here. The first time they left, the saying 'you don't know what you have until it's gone' was true. By now, though, she was used to the long absences, and when they were here it was just a reminder that they would leave her again soon.

Right now, she decided, she would just enjoy Edward's company while it lasted. His laugh was infectious, and she found that in this moment, everything else was erased and it was just him and her. Once they finally stopped, Edward switched his gaze to the ground far below.

"Uh… if you don't mind… I'd like to make it up to you…"

"Hmm? I told you, it's okay." Winry said, surprised. "You're here; that's enough for me…"

"I'd still like to do something," Ed protested, turning to face her once again.

"**Really,** Edward, I'm totally fine. You don't have to do a single thing. Besides, I'm happy. Even if I did want you to do something, I can't think of anything that you could do for me right now that would make me any more pleased…"

A strange look came over her friend's face, illuminated by the moonlight.

"How about this?" he whispered and moved forward.

Suddenly, before she even knew what was happening, Winry found her soft lips pressed against Edward's rough ones.

Her head clouded and her thoughts became scrambled. At first she stiffened, utterly and completely in shock, but then… suddenly it just felt… natural. Right, and… good. Without any real, conscious thought, she melted into the kiss, almost by instinct. Their lips moved with a perfect synchronicity, like two parts of a whole. There was a kind of innocent love to it, which was probably because they didn't have any sort of experience with this kind of thing. Still, it was incredibly sweet. Edward tasted like honey and sunshine, she noted vaguely. It was intoxicating. Finally, it was him that had to pull away, and Winry realized that neither of them had been breathing.

'_This is what it was._' she thought. '_Earlier, when I was trying to figure out what Ed was to me. I… like him... does this mean… he likes me too?_'

"Win…?"

She blinked, abruptly brought back into reality.

"Winry, are you okay? I'm sorry… I shouldn't have done that, I guess. I just-"

Edward trailed off and Winry looked up at him in shock and hope. Usually he would never be this open…

"I- that is- I… um…"

She could see that Ed's face was now cherry red, burning brightly in the darkness.

"I love you." He finished quietly, dropping his gaze. Her breath caught as he finally revealed the thing that she realized she'd been waiting for him to say for years. Only, now that it was finally out, her emotions were boiling so strongly that she couldn't even speak.

"I'm sorry…" Ed mumbled once again, looking depressed.

'_I have to let him know how I feel too!_' she thought desperately. '_But… I can't speak, so I guess…_'

Before Edward could say another word, she leaned back in and kissed him again, even more passionately this time. When they finally broke apart, Ed's eyes were the size of dinner plates, and the blush from earlier had started creeping toward his ears.

"You dummy," Winry murmured, finding her voice. "Don't be sorry. I love you too…"

Edward blinked and his mouth opened like he was going to say something, but instead, he lunged forward abruptly and scooped her up into a hug. She clutched at him too, feeling so content that words couldn't begin to describe it. Laying her head against his chest, she soaked in the warmth and listened to his heartbeat pound along with hers. It felt like forever that they sat there, simply holding each other. Once, Ed gasped out, "I love you…" again into her hair, as if the words were a lifeline. In response, she just squeezed him tighter. It was magic there in the moonlight, and Winry felt that, in this moment, the other was all that was anchoring them to the world. Eventually, Edward pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes, his own shining with happiness.

"There's something else I have to tell you, Win." He whispered, smiling softly. "Al and I- we're staying this time. We won't leave."

She gasped, sure that this must be a dream; it was just way too good to be true.

"You- you don't mean…" she stuttered, hoping with all her heart that she had heard him right.

"Yeah," Ed answered, grinning. "No more traveling, at least for a little while."

Shrieking with happiness, Winry threw herself into him, completely forgetting that they were sitting in a tree. If Edward hadn't already had his arms wrapped around her waist, he probably wouldn't have been able to haul her back up. Latching onto his shirt and gripping it for all she was worth, she peered down at the ground twelve feet below in terror before twisting back around to look at him.

"Uh… thanks." she squeaked, biting her lip, but still refusing to let go of him.

Ed rolled his eyes and grinned, leaning back against the massive tree trunk (which was a lot closer now as a result of being tackled).

"Do you want to get down now, or am I reading this incorrectly?"

She glared at him, but quickly stopped, unable to really be annoyed at him right now.

"Just give me a minute to get my heart restarted, okay?"

Edward laughed, and for once it sounded happy and carefree.

"All right, little miss scaredy-cat."

Taking a few deep breaths, Winry managed to gradually calm herself down again while Ed looked on in amusement. After a few minutes, her heartbeat returned to normal, or at least as close as it could be to normal with Edward here.

"You really shouldn't be so reckless though, you know."

Startled, she looked up at him. His expression seemed a bit more serious now, and caring. His face entranced her so much that all she could do was nod dumbly, which made him chuckle. Then a slightly evil looking smirk spread across his face. She looked up at him in confusion but before she could ask what he was grinning about, he pulled her into his lap and pressed their lips together once more. Sinking into Edward's embrace, Winry could practically feel the fireworks exploding, lighting up the night. Through some unspoken communication, they both picked up the pace and the kiss grew more heated and intense. As it became more fiery, she felt herself slowly losing her grip on reality. Edward was that stimulating. Suddenly, a tongue that was not her own licked her lips. Gasping, she crushed herself against Ed, allowing him access and tangling her fingers in his hair. He reciprocated just as enthusiastically, deepening the kiss as sparks flew. Eventually they broke apart for air, both panting and red-faced.

"God, you're beautiful…" Edward breathed, reaching out and caressing her face gently.

"I thought you didn't believe in God."

"I didn't. Still don't. Never will."

"You're an idiot."

"Yeah, but you love me back, so it's okay."

Winry laughed, the sound carrying forever in the clear night air.

Edward smiled and then pushed up his sleeve to reveal a simple black watch. He had to squint in the dim light to make out the hands, but when he finally did, his eyes widened.

"Shit! How can it be midnight already!? Al's gotta' be flipping out…"

"Ah! Midnight!? We need to go home then!" Winry exclaimed in a panic. "If it's that late, then Granny will be home in fifteen minutes!"

She quickly shifted off Ed's lap and was a bit pleased when he looked a little disappointed.

"Wait… how exactly do we get down?" she asked, suddenly realizing their predicament.

"Easy." Edward shrugged. "Same way we got up, but in reverse. Don't try to jump yet."

"Wait, what?"

Ed just winked, and then slid off the branch.

"ED!"

Winry watched in horror as he fell, and then in amazement when he landed perfectly, not hurt a bit. The grace of it was almost catlike.

"Okay!" he said with a grin, turning and holding out his arms. "Now you!"

"Are you INSANE? How on earth did you manage not to kill yourself?"

"I told you earlier, I'm very light on my feet. Now come on, or don't you trust me? Don't worry, I'll catch you, I promise."

Looking at Edward's face, she could tell that he meant it. He wouldn't drop her. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Winry scooted to the very edge of the branch, and then, closing her eyes, let herself fall. The wind whipped by and then a second later, she landed safely in Ed's arms.

"Your upper-body strength is incredible," she mumbled, clinging to him. "I can't believe I'm still alive."

Edward laughed and then gently set her down on her feet. Without another word, they both started running for the house. Finally, they reached the door and she flung it open.

"Al, we're back!" Ed called as they dashed into the kitchen, panting.

Instantly, Al came running in, looking frantic.

"Where WERE you guys?! Seriously, it's past midnight!"

"Yeah, we know." Winry gasped. "Sorry, lost track of the time…"

Alphonse relaxed a little bit, obviously very relieved.

"Thank goodness. I don't know what I would've said if Granny came home and I didn't know where you two were. What on earth were you doing?"

She glanced anxiously at Edward, wondering if Al knew about his feelings toward her.

"We, um… we were just- talking."

Ed raised his eyebrows at that, smirking.

"Is that what you call it?"

Al looked back and forth between them, his expression confused. Then it cleared a bit and he stopped with his eyes on Edward.

"Ed… did you finally… you couldn't have- did you?"

Instead of answering, Edward grinned, then turned and kissed Winry full on the mouth. He stopped quickly, turning back to see Al's reaction and leaving her dazed. Al's eyes were wide, but he was smiling from ear to ear.

"Gotcha… I didn't think you'd actually confess, Ed… hmm. I think I'll go to bed now. Have fun!"

Snickering, the younger of the two brothers left the room, and Winry flushed bright red.

"You could've just said yes, you know…"

"Yeah… but I wanted to kiss you again."

"You are a complete idiot."

Edward grinned.

"I know."

**oOoOoOo**

**AAARGH! It was too rushed, wasn't it!? It was! And yes- I know it is no longer near Halloween. Shut up. I wanted to write this. Sorry if Ed is a little bit OOC; this is my first time writing anything where he's actually romantic. Was it scary enough? Whatever. Hope you liked it! :D**

**(I do not, nor will I ever own Fullmetal Alchemist. Sadly.)**


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